


a whole lot more than riches and muscle

by rawrimmapanda



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blow Jobs, Getting Together, M/M, Masturbation, Rejection, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-23 21:57:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21088436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rawrimmapanda/pseuds/rawrimmapanda
Summary: Mark is excited to make a name for himself in the NHL. The last thing he expects is a soulmate, especially a soulmate that rejects him. Now his goal is to make it and make his soulmate love him back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a labor of love and something I wanted to work on for at least a year now. Huge thanks to my beta @Zip for fixing my screw ups, everyone that sprinted or cheered me on, my friends on discord who will never see this but were supportive, and my boyfriend for giving birth to "poor baby gay Mark Schiefele" and told me to tag this with "mm that gay shit".
> 
> I also made a companion playlist that you can listen to [ here!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/73XdSTXZHTF0kMKRnR4ISE?si=ZHDjABZSRB-1oNE6DM3bow)
> 
> Check out the lovely podcast of this [ here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21088922)

_ Angel, angel, what have I done? _

_ I've faced the quakes, the wind, the fire _

_ I've conquered country, crown, and throne _

_ Why can't I cross this river? _

_ *** _

Mark grew up always wanting a soulmate. To him, soulmates were the ultimate goal. They were pretty common, but he knew watching his parents that it was something he wanted. The only other thing he wanted was to play in the NHL. His parents were always supportive, reminding him that he’ll make it and eventually find a nice girl to settle down with. They never mentioned soulmates around him, even though most of his friends had already found theirs. Mark figured they were just being nice. Plus, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to settle down in the future, he just wasn’t sure if settling down with a nice girl was what he wanted. 

The week of the draft was super nerve wracking for Mark. He had no idea exactly where he was going to go, but he felt good after his combine interviews. His parents constantly reminded him that they’d still love him no matter where he was taken. He read all the scouting reports and mock drafts, so when he was called at 7th overall, he was honestly shocked. Pulling on the NHL jersey was a surreal feeling, made even stronger by the fact he was the first draft pick made by the Jets after the team had been relocated. It was weird to know he didn’t have an actual logo to commit to yet, but that would come with time, just like the soulmate issue. He knew in his heart he would give everything he had, and then some, to the Winnipeg Jets. 

Mark made it his mission to make the team out of camp, so he buckled down and dedicated every waking moment to hockey, learning about every other team and their strategies. He wanted to make a difference day one, and the only way he knew how was to be overly dedicated to the cause. 

Camp rolled around and he was bounced between lines, eventually finding himself on the third line to start the season. Coach was very upfront and said that Mark had to make an impact soon or he was going back to juniors. Mark understood his role and poured everything he had into his audition period. 

The first game, Mark was full of jitters. The pre-season did not prepare him as much as he had hoped it would. As he was sitting in the locker room, he started to feel flushed, and he worried he was getting sick. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As he did so, he felt someone sit in the stall next to his. 

“Hey kid. You’ll survive. You’re talented and this is just one of many games.”

Mark looked up and saw a soft smile and gorgeous green eyes. 

“Thanks Blake.”

Blake stood up and clapped his hand on Mark’s shoulder. As he did so, a shock went through Mark’s body. Mark looked over and saw a bird etching itself into his skin. Blake stepped back, looking aghast. On the back of Blake’s hand, a small hockey stick started to etch itself onto his skin. 

“Holy shit.” Blake exclaimed. 

Mark shook his head. This couldn’t be happening to him today. Not on the first game of his career. 

Blake continued on. 

“You’re so young. I don’t know if I can do this. I need to go see a trainer.”

Mark sat in his stall, stunned, as Blake bolted out of the room. The rest of the room was silent and staring at the ruckus that had just occurred. Mark felt smaller than he ever did. Zach came over and sat next to him, throwing his arm across Mark’s shoulder. 

“You’ll be fine kiddo. He’s just shocked.”

Mark nodded, on the verge of tears. Everything he heard about bonding was that it was a magical moment, filled with love and happiness. 

This felt empty and cold to him. 

Coach walked in and told everyone the starting lineup and who was playing with who. Mark was thankful that Blake wasn’t playing with him tonight. He wasn’t sure he could take more rejection. 

The guys did the traditional rookie hazing of letting Mark skate a lap alone in front of the crowd. Mark waved to his parents in the crowd, not thinking about what he still had to tell them. First, he needed to get through the game. 

The game was pretty uneventful for the Jets. Montreal dominated, scoring 5 on them, while the Jets could only get one goal. At some point, the coach made Blake and Mark play together on the powerplay, attempting to spark something for the team. The whole time Mark’s head buzzed and it felt emotionally overwhelming. If you had to ask him, it was the worst 2 minutes of his life. 

After the game, Mark saw his parents waiting for him outside the locker room. He gave them a hug and told them that he wanted to talk to them after he got showered and changed. They gave him a confused look, but pushed him along his way. Mark showered, his fingers lingering over the bird that had tattooed itself on his shoulder. It stung when he ran his fingers over it, sending sparks down his spine. He felt betrayed. Soulbonds were supposed to be built on love and this one felt like Blake resented him. He tried to send something through the bond and just got back fuzzy static. He finished scrubbing down and stepped out of the shower, just to be faced with a very naked Blake. Mark felt himself blushing, the flush spreading down his body. 

Blake rushed to get a towel around him and Mark averted his eyes. 

“Sorry. I’ll just, uh, go.” Mark stumbled over his words as he rushed out of the showers. 

“Wait!” Mark turned around on his heel. 

“We should talk. Can you do lunch tomorrow?” Mark was dumbfounded. This is not how it went in the movies. 

“Yeah, I can.”

Mark rushed back to the locker room, throwing a glance over his shoulder as Blake stepped under the spray of the water. Mark realized he was lucky to have such a gorgeous soulmate. The problem was that he didn’t think Blake felt similarly. 

Mark finished getting dressed and said his goodbyes to the team as he left with his parents. He drove his parents to the hotel they were staying in and headed back to his own hotel room. He didn’t have the heart to tell his parents that he’d finally soulbonded. 

While he was falling asleep, Mark kept thinking about Blake’s reaction. He knew there was an age difference thanks to google, but age was just a number to him. Mark fell asleep feeling robbed of his soulmate moment. 


	2. Chapter 2

Blake woke up still confused as to why he would have bonded again, let alone to someone so much younger than he is. When it happened before, he had just started college and she was a sweet girl, but he had no intention of being with a woman, so he broke the bond after trying to block it for months. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with Sam, it’s just she wasn’t his type. 

Unfortunately for Blake, his type was basically Mark in a nutshell. He just wasn’t sure why it took so long for him to show up in his life, or why the universe decided that someone that  _ young _ would be the right choice. Until he could figure it out, he figured he’d put the block up and deal with it like an adult. 

Blake rolled over and saw the time. If he was going to make it to practice on time, he’d have to get out of bed sooner rather than later. He hopped in the shower, pondering how he was going to tell Mark that he wasn’t ready for anything close to a relationship yet. As he soaped up his body, he practiced different ways of approaching the conversation, creating a weird script in his head. Eventually the water started to run cold so Blake rinsed off and stepped out. He could hear his phone in the other room buzzing incessantly. He quickly brushed his teeth and put deodorant on, getting ready to face whatever mess was waiting for him on his phone. 

It was a group chat with Dustin and Bryan, pushing him to give details on what happened with Mark. Blake instantly regretted telling them what happened. 

_ >When are you going to talk to him? _

_ >Do you need me to back you up? I’m good at scaring people. _

_ What the fuck? I wasn’t going to try and scare him< _

_ He’s just a kid < _

_ I’m not ready for this. < _

_ >We’re here for you.  _

_ Thanks Litts < _

Blake pulled it together and took a deep breath. He just had to make it through practice and then he’d be able to talk to Mark. 

Practice went about as smoothly as Blake could have hoped. Mark didn’t try to talk to him, only nodding and waving at him. Afterwards, Blake sat down next to Mark and let him know where they were going to meet up for lunch. He didn’t offer to drive him, just told him and left him be. 

When Blake arrived, he told the server he was waiting for a friend, and asked if he could get a table in the back. It took about 10 minutes before Mark showed up, looking rushed and confused. 

“I got lost and then I couldn’t find parking. I’m so sorry I’m late.” Mark started to ramble, and Blake laughed it off. 

“I got lucky with parking. Come on, let’s order.”

They placed their orders with the server, both ordering a chicken lunch that came with potatoes and vegetables. 

As they sat there in silence for a few minutes, Mark started to fiddle with his silverware. Blake took pity on him and spoke first.

“I don’t hate this. I hope you know that.”

Mark nodded, looking down at the table. 

“It’s just you’re so young and I need time to adjust.” Mark looked up and put the silverware down. 

“I get it. I just don’t understand why you’re blocking me out instead of letting us get used to each other.”

Mark was clearly frustrated with the block. He just wanted his moment and hadn’t gotten it yet. 

“I want to get to know you first. I don’t want my every waking emotion to be broadcast to someone. It’s partially why I broke off my first soulbond.”

Mark was taken aback at that comment. He hadn’t expected Blake to have bonded before, but it would make sense with his age. 

“I don’t want to break the bond. I won’t go through with it.” 

Blake nodded, getting the vibe that Mark was dead serious about this particular topic. 

“I don’t intend on breaking the bond. I just want to get to know you.”

Mark smiled, a little lopsided and goofy, but Blake found it endearing. Maybe the kid wouldn’t be so bad afterall. 

They ate and chatted about mundane things like how Mark was liking it and how he was adjusting to the NHL level. Mark seemed mature for his age and Blake got swept away in the conversation. Once there was a lull, he smiled. 

“We should do this again.” Blake figured it would be good to get to know him without this expectation of love looming over them. He restrengthened the block on the bond and motioned for the check. 

The server arrived and placed one check on the table and they both reached for it at the same time. 

Blake yanked the check out from under Mark’s hand. 

“Let me get this at least. It was my idea anyway.”

Mark conceded, letting Blake whip out his card and they waited in silence as the server came back to collect it. 

“So, um, I should give you my number. Just in case you wanted to text to get to know me better?” Mark was unsure of how this was going to go over. Blake did say he wanted to get to know him, but he wasn’t sure of how that was going to happen over a bunch of lunches. 

Blake nodded and grabbed his phone, ignoring the group chat notifications. Mark slowly told him his number and Blake put it into his phone. After about 20 seconds, Mark’s phone buzzed with a text from Blake. 

“There, you have my number as well”

Blake smiled and motioned to leave. 

“I have some errands to run so I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Blake clapped Mark on the shoulder as he walked past him and back to the car. When he got to his car, he leaned his head on the steering wheel. Mark was a good guy and Blake could see why the universe put them together, but he felt Mark was just a kid and Blake couldn’t handle that. Maybe in a few years it would be easier, but right now wasn’t the time. 


	3. Chapter 3

Mark went back to his car and couldn’t help the exasperated sigh that came out when he shut the door. He thought things went well and then he had to screw it up by giving Blake his number. He banged his head against the steering wheel of his rental car. He tried to reach through the bond and got the standard feeling of static. He eventually put the key in the ignition and turned the engine over. He drove back to his hotel feeling dazed and rejected. 

Mark knew that the age thing was weird, but he thought that maybe Blake would take the block down soon. Maybe he was being selfish, but he wanted to experience the soulbond for once. Once he was back to the hotel room, he figured he’d put it out of his mind and just focus on staying in the NHL. 

Staying wasn’t in the cards for him it seemed. The next 6 games passed and Mark felt useless most of the time, so when he was called into the GM’s office, he knew what was coming. It was back to juniors for him. As he was packing up, he got a singular text from Blake. 

>I’m sorry

Mark tossed his phone on the bed as he finished shoving his clothes unceremoniously into his suitcases. He didn’t have it in him to respond to someone who had basically shut him out since that lunch they had together. He had figured that Blake needed space and him being sent back to Barrie would give him all the space in the world. 

So that’s what Mark did. He went back to Barrie and trailed around Ekblad like a lost puppy dog for the remainder of the season. He was determined to push himself so that he could be at the NHL level for longer than seven fricken games. He kept his emotions in check and after checking the bond almost daily for the first month, he just gave up, only checking every so often. 

Mark left that text message alone. He didn’t know how to respond and it just hung there like a dark cloud over his head. Eventually he got drunk at an end of season party at Aaron’s place and found himself picking up his phone. 

“Yo Eks! Is it like texting my ex if I just text my soulmate who won’t speak to me?”

Aaron dropped the cup he was holding, sloshing piss warm beer down his leg. 

“You bonded? Dude, who wouldn’t want to be with you, you’re awesome. And no, don’t text them.”

Mark looked up at him, sadness crossing his face. 

“Too late.”

Mark looked down at the text he sent Blake. It was a simple “I’m sorry”

_ >Is everything ok? You haven’t texted me before.  _

_ >I hope you’re not hurt or anything _

_ >You know what, I’ll just call you.  _

Mark had put his phone down to take another drink when it started to go off. He saw the name flash across the screen and he panicked. 

“Hello?” Mark asked timidly.

“You scared me. Is everything ok? You sound like you’re at a party or something.” Blake sounded worried, as if something bad had happened. 

Mark shuffled out of the room he was in and found himself in the hallway crying on the phone. 

“Why don’t you like me?” Mark started to sob through the phone. 

“I do like you. I just need to get used to you. You know that.”

Mark sighed. He felt so alone and the fuzziness of the static he got through the bond was frustrating. 

“You think I’m just a kid.” 

“I think you’re drunk and we need to have this conversation in the morning. I promise I’ll call you.”

Mark felt himself start to cry harder. It just wasn’t fair that Blake got to dictate everything and he didn’t get to have a say in it. 

“Ok.” Mark said, feeling smaller and smaller with each passing moment. He hung up and looked up to see Aaron looming over him. Aaron stuck his hand out to pull Mark back up to his feet. He pulled Mark in close to comfort him, running his fingers through Mark’s hair and rubbing small circles on his back. Mark sighed into it, hiccupping back a sob as he did so. 

“They aren’t worth it if they make you cry.” 

Mark wiped the tears from his face, realizing that he wouldn’t be able to go back to the party looking like the mess that he was. 

“Let’s get you cleaned up and you can crash in my room.”

Mark nodded, still wiping stray tears away. He sniffled and made a disgusted face. 

“Ok” Mark whispered, still feeling small and beaten down after the conversation with Blake. 

Aaron shuffled Mark to the bathroom so that he could splash water on his face and then directed him to the bedroom, where Mark crawled into the bed, pulling the comforter up tight around his shoulders. 

When Mark woke, he saw that Aaron had taken the floor, giving him the space he dearly needed after last night. He looked at his phone and saw that it was shortly after 9am. All of what had happened the night before came rushing over him like a flood. He groaned, a little too loudly, and woke Aaron up. 

“I’m sorry dude. Didn’t mean to wake you up.” Mark apologized, genuine care crossing across his face as Aaron looked up and smiled at him. 

“I can sleep after you leave. No worries.”

Mark nodded and scooted out of the bed, giving a small fistbump to Aaron as he was gathering up his things to climb into the warm bed. 

As he was walking out of the billet home, Mark felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He groaned when he saw his soulmate’s name on the screen. He swiped to accept the call.


	4. Chapter 4

Blake didn’t know what compelled him to follow through on the phone call in the morning, but he felt bad that Mark was saying that he didn’t like him. He liked him fine enough, it was just that he wasn’t ready for the universe to send someone to him, let alone a kid. Mark was right in that regard at least. He did view him as a kid still. 

“Hello” Mark sounded confused at the phone call, as if he almost didn’t believe it was real. 

“Hi. We need to talk.” Blake wanted to follow through and talk to him like an adult. 

“I don’t not like you. I don’t really know you and to me you are a kid. A really mature one, but still a kid.” Blake barrelled on, not letting Mark get a word in edgewise. 

“I get it. I’ve thought about it and if you want to sever the bond, I’d understand.” Mark blurted the words out, choking back a sob. 

“I told you I don’t want to do that and I mean it. I want to get to know you. How about this? We do weekly phone calls to get to know each other?”

Blake could hear Mark starting to get worked up and wanted a solution that would make them both happy. He could tell that Mark needed validation and someone that cared and while he didn’t think he could be that quite yet, he knew that he could compromise. 

“Sure. Can we also start texting more?” 

“I can try. That’s what I can promise.” Blake didn’t want to get Mark’s hopes up too much, so he figured being honest was his best bet. 

“Ok. I need to get back to my billet though, so I’ll talk to you later?” 

“Sounds good.” 

Blake hung up and pocketed his phone. He started to get ready for morning skate, mulling over the weekly phone call idea. He threw it out there on a whim hoping to get a bite, and wasn’t expecting Mark to actually agree to it. Blake didn’t mean to make Mark cry, he really did care about the kid. It was just a shock to him still.

As Blake showered, he mulled over the idea of having Mark come and train with him in the offseason. He figured he could bring it up during one of those weekly phone conversations. 


	5. Chapter 5

Mark learns quickly that weekly phone calls are difficult to pull off when both people involved are professional athletes. They settle for some texting back and forth, mostly mundane things about what the other is eating that day, or what a teammate said in practice. Mark still tries the bond every week or so and eventually gives up hope. 

When Mark gets called up to the AHL after Barrie loses in the playoffs, he gets excited. This is his chance to prove himself as mature. 

Ten games later and only one point to show for it, Mark heads back to Ontario with his tail tucked between his legs. The texts had slowed down since Mark was busy with the playoffs and Blake was busy travelling for the offseason. So when Mark got a text a few days after being back home, it was a bit of a shock. 

_ >Come train with me this summer? _

Mark thought it over. He had made plans with some local guys and his agent was pushing that he do Biosteel camp. 

_ I have plans already. Sorry< _

Mark tossed his phone on his bed as he finished getting ready to go up to the cottage with some friends. He paid it no mind when he heard the soft buzz against his comforter, instead opting to focus on packing for the weekend. He figured he didn’t owe Blake a summer of training with how he blocked Mark out of his life for the most part. 

While he finished packing, Mark heard that familiar buzz a few times and put it to the back of his mind. He wanted this weekend away to be devoid of discussion on hockey and soulmates, the two things that have given him heartache as of late. He didn’t have the energy to explain to his friends why soulmates were a forbidden topic, he just hoped they respected his wishes. 

As Mark hauled his things to the car, he remembered the ignored text messages from earlier. He stopped between trips to the car to check them. 

_ >Ok. I just figured it would be good bonding time.  _

_ >Ha! Bonding! _

_ >Alright, I’ll let you get back to your weekend. _

Mark pocketed his phone with a chuckle. The bonding thing was obviously not intended, but it was good to get some personality out of Blake for once. Usually he was very reserved, not giving Mark much to work with. It was frustrating at the best of times. To get a glimpse at some humor made Blake seem more human to Mark. 

Mark slammed the trunk of his car shut and went back inside to say goodbye to his parents before heading out to the cottage. On the drive over he figured he’d try the bond again and came up against the familiar static. He kept trying to poke at it, hoping like a giant blob it would move and show him something. Eventually he felt a small crack. He probed it a bit more, feeling around for an emotion or mood. He got wisps of loneliness that seeped through. Mark retracted and gave up on pushing through. 

The last thing Mark expected from Blake was loneliness. He seemed so well adjusted and put together. He figured it was more of Blake being human, especially since he left a crack in the block. Mark could relate to the loneliness thing and didn’t understand why Blake couldn’t just reach out to him and talk to him about what was going on. For a split second Mark considered calling Blake from the car to see if he was ok. Despite what Blake may have thought, Mark did care about him. Mark reached over and turned his music up louder in an attempt to drown out the urge to call Blake. 

When Mark finally pulled up to the cottage, he realized he was the last one to arrive. His friends had already unpacked their cars and had beers in the cooler. He spotted Aaron and waved at him. 

“Want to help me unload everything?”

Aaron grabbed a couple bags from the trunk of the car and pretended to use them as weights. 

“Of course I’ll help you dork.”

The rest of Mark’s friends came barreling out and the car was unloaded in record time. Before he knew it, he was watching a friend grill with a beer in his hand. He was letting the sounds of nature wash over him in an attempt to forget the soulbond thing from his drive in. 

“So, have you made progress with the mystery soulmate?”

Mark could throttle Aaron at this point. 

“Soulmate? When did you bond dude?”

“Yeah, why didn’t you tell us?”

Mark took a deep breath and finished off the beer he had, tossing the can in the bin. 

“Because he rejected me right away. He said I’m too young.” 

“He also barely speaks to me so why should I care?” Mark was angry and on the verge of tears. He turned to grab another beer and he heard Aaron speak up behind him. 

“He’s another player isn’t he?”

Mark turned and nodded slowly. 

“I’m not going to tell you who though. I don’t know if he’s gay or what and if he is, I don’t want to out him if that’s the case.”

Aaron nodded sagely, taking a sip of his beer. 

“Understand that dude. Sorry for bringing it up.” Mark was grateful that Aaron and the rest of his friends were going to drop the subject. 

The rest of the weekend passed without mention of soulmates, and thankfully, hockey as well. Mark was eternally grateful to his friends for the reprieve they gave him. He kept his shirt on most of the weekend, but as he was packing, he pulled his shirt off. 

“Woah, your mark is a loon! That’s cool!” 

Mark spun around on his heel at the noise. Aaron was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. 

“I thought it was a duck to be honest.”

Mark figured that honesty was his best bet with Aaron. He prayed that the conversation would pass quickly and painlessly. 

“You know, if you didn’t have a soulmate I’d have tried to get with you.” 

Mark chokes on his words, unable to articulate a response. 

“What was your mark on him by the way? You never mentioned it.”

Mark could answer that question and decided that it was better to answer than then dwell on the fact that Aaron just hinted at hitting on him. 

“It’s a hockey stick.” Mark responded quietly, ashamed of how nerdy that sounded. 

“That’s so perfectly you.” Aaron chuckled and left the doorway headed towards him. Mark closed his eyes tight and felt Aaron trace the outline of the soulmark on his shoulder, sending sparks through Mark’s body. His breath was hot on Mark’s neck and Mark turned around and pulled Aaron in for a kiss. It was awkward and not lined up quite right, but it went on for a few seconds. 

Aaron broke the kiss, pulling away. 

“Remember, he doesn’t want me.” Mark gasped out, trying to pull Aaron in again. 

“One day he will. As much as I want to keep going, I just can’t.” 

Mark looked at the ground and wondered if what he did was mostly out of wanting for Blake or if he was falling for one of his best friends. He shook his head and started to sulk. 

Aaron left him in the room alone and Mark quickly got his shirt back on and finished packing up. He got the car loaded and pondered the kiss over and over on his drive home. He didn’t try to probe the bond again, knowing that who was on the other side would feel his betrayal seeping through. 

When Mark got home, he threw his bags on his bed and collapsed on the bed, crying silently, as if to not wake his parents. The kiss made him realize that loneliness wasn’t something that just Blake experienced. It was nice to feel wanted, even if for a few minutes. He kept crying until he was hiccuping. He rolled over and wiped his eyes one last time and decided to text Blake. 

_ Do you ever get lonely?< _

  
The bubble indicating that Blake was responding popped up and disappeared sporadically over the next few minutes. Mark put his phone down and rolled over, pulling the blanket up over his face. He regretted sending that text message right away, but the sinking feeling he had wouldn’t go away the longer Blake took to respond. 


	6. Chapter 6

_ Yes. More often than I want to admit< _

Blake figured that he’d lead with honesty. Loneliness was something he was intimately familiar with as it often consumed him on off days and when he’d come home to an empty apartment. Being in Winnipeg made it worse. At least when he was in Boston he had friends to spend time with. The year in Atlanta was even nicer because the weather was always pleasant. 

But Winnipeg? It was cold and dreary most of the season. The lack of someone to cuddle up with during the winter was really taking a toll on Blake. 

_ But I make do. Why do you ask?< _

Blake watched the tiny dots appear as Mark was typing out his response, pondering how honest he needed to be with Mark. He didn’t want to come off as needy, but that’s partially how he felt. 

_ >Just feeling a bit lonely after my weekend with friends. _

Blake could understand that perfectly. Spending time with teammates at parties or clubs was only a temporary band aid on that overarcing feeling of loneliness. Once you rip it off, that feeling is even more intense. It was a vicious cycle that Blake had been going through for at least the last 5 years. 

_ That happens to me sometimes. Just remember to focus on all the good things.< _

Blake went back to cooking dinner, letting his phone just sit on the opposite counter from where he was cutting up vegetables. He heard his phone jingle with a text message and opted to ignore it to focus on even cuts. Once he finished cutting up the carrots to the best of his ability, he washed his hands and grabbed his phone. 

_ >I’ll try. Thanks. _

Blake racked his brain for a response but ended up just leaving the message on read. There wasn’t much he could think of saying that wouldn’t come across as mean or desperate. 

See, the thing was, Blake wanted to have a connection with Mark. It was just hard getting over that mental block about how young he was. Every interaction he’d had so far with Mark had been careful and calculated. He didn’t want to give off the wrong vibes at the wrong time. 

Blake finished up his dinner and headed to the living room to eat it while watching some Netflix. He ate mindlessly while the show he picked droned on in the background. The whole soulmate thing was rolling around in his head again. He vowed to himself that next season when Mark made the team, he’d do a better job of getting to know him. 

***

The offseason passed Blake by and before he knew it the season was already here. He noticed that Mark didn’t even make the team out of camp, which really put a damper on his plans to get to know him better. 

When Mark made the team in January, they were so busy with the lockout ending and Mark heading back after only 4 games, he didn’t even have a chance to have a proper conversation with him besides asking how his day was going. Before he knew it, Mark was sent back down and Blake realized that his personal vow was mostly a sham. 

They still talked over text messages, but with both of them having a busy schedule and the timing never working out, they didn’t talk on the phone much. 

Blake figured that maybe  _ next _ season would be the one that Mark finally makes the team for good. Then he’d have time to spend with him. 


	7. Chapter 7

Mark went home after the playoffs in Barrie feeling disappointed. Sure, he had 41 points in 21 games, but he just wanted to win something. He decided to refocus his energy on making the Jets out of camp, something he had also failed at doing. 

The offseason was typical for Mark. He went up to the cottage with some friends a few times and talked to Blake on and off throughout the summer. He declined another offer to train together, figuring that he needed to focus on making the team without soulmate distractions. 

And Mark did. He made the team right out of camp. He also made a best friend in the process. Jake was more his age and they were able to geek out about hockey as well as other things like High School Musical. 

One day Mark found himself leaning on Jake because he was tired and he saw Blake across the room scowling. He shrugged it off as nothing. 

The weekly lunches that Mark and Blake had been going on had become tense and guarded. Blake still kept the block up in their bond and Mark had given up hope and stopped prodding at it from time to time. Mark had hoped that with time things would improve. Every time they sat near each other, Mark would glance at the hockey stick etched in Blake’s skin and he would feel hot all over, as if he was ashamed that this was the man he bonded to. 

Mark was lucky to have someone like Jake around. It was someone who didn’t know about the soulbond, or if he did, he didn’t say anything. They became close friends in a short time, spending time after practices going to the mall or to see movies. If Mark wasn’t already bonded, he could have sworn that Jake would have been his true soulmate.

Sometime around November, PR asked Jacob to do a Pass the Mic video where he tried to get players to sing or talk about music. Mark admitted to the camera, and the rest of the world, that Jacob was one of two people that he had ever sang to. Eventually the video wrapped up after Mark and Jake were cuddling and singing to each other. 

Across the room Blake’s eyes darkened, watching the interaction. Mark could feel jealousy trickling down his spine for some reason. He figured it was just a leak in the bond until Blake marched over and grabbed him by the arm. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Blake hissed through clenched teeth. 

Mark’s eyes widened and he felt himself being pulled into the players’ lounge. Once they were away from prying eyes, he pulled his arm from Blake’s grasp. 

“No. What do you think you’re doing? You don’t get to stop me from having friends.”

Mark was livid that Blake thought he had any control over what he did and did not do with his friends. 

“It looked like more than friends if we’re being honest.” Blake retorted, letting the block down in the soulbond as he spit the words out. 

Mark could feel nothing but jealousy coursing through his veins. Mark sent back a feeling of being bitter through the bond. 

The exact opposite of what he expected to send through the first time the block came down. 

“You’re mine. You can’t be going around making lovey eyes at other people and that’s what it felt like you were doing with Troubs.” Blake was visibly upset. 

“If I’m supposed to be yours, why don’t you try to have a relationship with me? Riddle me that?”

Blake stepped forward and grabbed Mark by the back of the neck, pulling him in. 

The kiss was chaste, but Mark could feel love taking over the jealousy that was flowing through him. Mark couldn’t help but feel confused about how he was feeling. He didn’t know where this was coming from and he didn’t like that Blake was forcing things all of a sudden. 

Mark pulled back, his arms still at his side with his fists balled up. 

“I can’t love you. Not yet.” Mark wasn’t sure what else to say, so he went that route. He continued on. 

“I do have some feelings for you, but you’ve shut me out of everything, including the bond, for so long. I can’t do it yet.” 

Blake took a step back, stunned at the words coming out Mark’s mouth. 

“I understand. How about this? We go on a date? Just you and I. Not one of our lunches. Something proper like a movie or the zoo?” Blake rambled on, sending Mark feelings of being desperate. 

“I’ll consider it if you promise to keep the block down.” 

Blake blinked slowly as he considered his options in front of him. 

“I’ll keep it down.”

Mark smiled and stepped forward to pull Blake into a hug. The larger man conceded and hugged him back. The hug was a bit stiff, but Mark seemed to have leaned into it a bit more. Blake decided he would take what he could get at that time. 

Their date got put off for the next few weeks, what with the season ramping up and whatnot. It was sometime around the Christmas break that Blake finally caved and asked Mark to dinner. 

“Sorry, I have plans to go home to see family.” Mark seemed genuinely upset that he had to decline dinner. 

“I hope you have a great time.”

Mark was tempted to invite Blake to come home with him for the holiday, but remembered that they weren’t quite there yet. The texting over the last month had gotten better, with Mark sending Blake random pictures and Blake actually responding with more than just a “lol” or “nice”. It was nice for Mark to see Blake opening up. 

Mark was also astonished that Blake kept his promise. 

The block had stayed down and it was probably the most wonderful thing Mark could have experienced. During games, when Blake would score, Mark would always get the same feeling of relief and excitement. It kept fueling his love for the game and he was determined to send similar feelings back. It was like a drug for Mark. He couldn’t get enough. 

The feelings after a loss were similar and blended together so much that he didn’t know who was sending what through the bond. Over time, Mark felt like they were becoming closer and closer friends. Blake would seek him out in the locker room and sit next to him. He backed off from harassing Jake about their relationship, something Mark caught him doing a few times. Every so often, Blake would send through signs of jealousy and possessiveness when Mark was hanging out with Jake. Mark shrugged them off, figuring that those would go away with time. 


	8. Chapter 8

January came quicker than expected, bringing a new year and a new coach with it. Once the whirlwind of a new coach and a new system finally died down, Blake figured he’d shoot his shot again with Mark. 

Blake found him after practice one day and sat next to him, slinging an arm over Mark’s shoulders. 

“Want to get dinner with me tonight since we don’t have a game?” Blake looked into Mark’s eyes, realizing for the first time how blue they were. 

Mark stared back and nodded slowly. 

“I’d love to. What time?” 

Blake smiled and took his arm off Mark’s shoulder. 

“7 o’clock. I’ll pick you up.”

“It’s a date!” Mark seemed eager and sent waves of excitement through the bond. 

Blake finished packing up his things for the day and took off, waving to Mark as he left. On his drive home, he started to realize that he was more nervous about this than Mark was letting through the bond. 

“It’s just a date” Blake whispered to himself. He turned the music up in his car, attempting to drown out his feelings of nervousness. He figured that if it was loud enough, he wouldn’t feel anything. 

When Blake got home, he started to pace around his apartment, fretting over what to wear and where to go. He finally settled on a gastropub, calling ahead to make reservations for 7:30pm. He got lucky that it was the middle of the week and they had open tables still. He figured that if they were early, that was better. 

Blake gave up on picking his outfit and sat down to watch some TV, zoning out thinking of different ways this could go wrong. 

Over the last month and a half, Blake had really gotten to know Mark and started to develop proper feelings for him. The age difference was still a huge barrier, but Mark’s youthfulness was refreshing and honestly who was Blake to argue with the universe. 

When Blake bonded the first time, Sam was a nice girl in one of his classes in college. They shared a ton of interests, but Blake knew that he’d end up unhappy over time. He eventually sought out a bond specialist and looked into severing the bond. Sam was on board with the whole thing, realizing that Blake wasn’t going to live up to everything that a soulmate should be. Plus, the absence of sex in that relationship was weird for both of them. 

The bond specialist didn’t question why Blake and Sam wanted to sever the bond, they just questioned if it was a mutual agreement. They both went to the appointment and Blake swore that if he did bond again, he’d try to treat them better.

Blake looked down at the paw prints on his arm as a reminder of where he came from. The specialist did suggest a good tattoo artist to cover them up, but Blake wasn’t ashamed of them. They were part of his life and who he was. 

Blake ran his fingers over the hockey stick etched on his skin, thinking of how beautiful Mark was to him. It was fitting that his actual soulmate would have a hockey stick as his mark. Blake knew that Mark had a bird on him, but wasn’t sure what bird it was. Mark always did a good job of covering it up when they were in the locker room. Blake hoped that one day he’d get to see it more clearly, if only to see what bird it was. 

Blake shook his head, realizing he was staring off into space, lost in thought, the TV blaring in the background about some marble countertops or something mundane like that. He looked at the time and realized it was about 5 o’clock. He knew it was a bit early, but he decided to get ready all the same. 

Blake chose a dark grey polo that was unbuttoned and a nice pair of dark navy slacks. He paired it with some brown shoes and a matching belt. He fiddled with his hair in the mirror of the en suite bathroom, opting to just let it lay how it normally did. When he finally finished up, he splashed on some cologne and went back to the living room to check the clock on the cable box. He saw that it was only 5:45. He went back to pacing around the apartment, finally deciding to text Mark. 

_ >Is this scary to you too? _

Blake waited impatiently for an answer, figuring that he scared Mark off or something. After about 5 minutes he got a response. 

_ Really scary. But also good in a way< _

Blake could agree on that and sent some reassuring vibes through the bond. He heard his phone buzz against the counter again. 

_ You don’t have to reassure me. I know my choice already.< _

Blake smiled down at his phone, not sure of what to say but sent some more happiness through the bond. 

When 6:30 finally rolled around, Blake rushed out the door, worried that he might hit the tail end of rush hour traffic. Once he was in his car, he realized that the roads were normal and he was going to make it to Mark’s early. When Blake got there, the clock read 6:50. He debated just sitting in the car until 7, but figured that he was only going to make it worse if he waited the extra 10 minutes. 

Blake got let in by a nice elderly lady at the door, so he took the elevator up to Mark’s floor, knocking on the door and stepping back. Mark opened the door slowly with a grin on his face. 

“Did the old lady downstairs let you in?”

Blake chuckled, nodding at the question. 

“Guessing she’s always there?”

Mark’s lopsided grin grew wider. 

“She gets bored I think.”

Mark gestured for Blake to step inside and Blake followed him inside. Mark turned towards him, holding up two different ties. 

“Which one?”

“Neither, the place is pretty chill.”

Mark put them both on the counter and Blake took his time admiring him. He was wearing a nice pair of dark grey slacks and a blue button down shirt. The blue in the shirt brought out the blue in Mark’s eyes and Blake couldn’t be more grateful for that. 

To Blake, Mark was still a kid, but one that had started to grow into his frame a little more. Blake spotted a pair of glasses on the counter and wondered how Mark would look in them. When he finally looked up, he saw Mark staring at him. 

“You didn’t do anything with your hair?” Mark wondered out loud. 

“It wasn’t cooperating today so I gave up.” Blake figured that Mark would get a kick out of the honesty. 

“It looks good regardless.” 

Blake smiled and felt himself blush a little as the compliment washed over him. 

“Thanks. We better get going though. Don’t want to hit dinner traffic.”

Mark led Blake out of the apartment, turning to lock the door behind him. Blake couldn’t help but admire the shape of Mark’s shoulders as he turned and leaned down to fiddle with the door. Blake shook his head and figured it was best to focus on the task at hand, a first date with his soulmate.


	9. Chapter 9

The car ride to the restaurant was mostly quiet, with the only sound coming from some soft music playing over the radio. Mark kept stealing glances at Blake as he drove. The street lights lit up his face in a beautiful way, reminding Mark that the man that he bonded with was gorgeous. Mark couldn’t help the small smile that crept up on his face as the drive went on. 

When they finally arrived, Blake drove around the block a few times, finally finding some parking downtown. They got out of the car and Blake grabbed the pay ticket from the machine, pocketing it as they walked towards the restaurant. Mark debated slipping his arm into Blake’s but thought better of it as they got closer. 

Once they were inside, Blake broke the silence. 

“I reserved a table in the back so we won’t be disturbed by fans.”

Mark smiled and nodded as he followed Blake and the server to the back of the dining room. They got seated and gave the server their drink orders. Blake ordering some beer that Mark had never heard of and Mark just opting for water. 

A comfortable silence washed over the two as they mulled over the menu. Blake cleared his throat, breaking the silence. 

“So what do you think you’re getting?” 

Mark looked down at his menu and smiled softly. 

“Probably just a steak.” 

Blake put his menu down and pointed at a burger piled high with cheese and toppings. 

“Think the trainers will be happy if I order this?”

Mark grinned and chuckled at the question. 

“I don’t think they will be happy at all. But who’s going to tell them?”

Blake grinned, his green eyes sparkling. 

“Then this will be a secret between us.”

The server came back to their table and Mark ordered his steak dinner while Blake ordered something called the BBQ Bacon Deluxe. He figured that it was good to indulge every so often. He would work off the extra calories in practice regardless. 

Mark poked at his salad, getting tempted to just unceremoniously stab the cherry tomato that was rolling around escaping his fork. Mark figured that he’d be polite and keep his tomato stabbing to a minimum. As he stared at the tomato, he saw a large hand reach in and pluck it off his plate. Mark looked up to see Blake popping it in his mouth. 

“You were playing with it so I figured you were done.” Blake was still grinning and Mark was pretty sure it was the most beautiful thing he had seen in his lifetime. 

Their food arrived and they ate, discussing different plays and teams between bites. Mark was proud to show off his hockey knowledge and Blake was more than happy to discuss alongside him. Before they knew it, Mark was going on about advanced statistics and the importance of them going forward. Blake couldn’t help the comfortable smile across his face. He sent vibes of happy towards Mark and Mark stopped talking. 

“That makes you happy?” 

Blake reached out and grabbed Mark’s hand, his thumb stroking Mark’s knuckles in soft circles. 

“If it makes you happy, it makes me happy. Plus, I play the game too. I love it as much as you do.”

Mark pulled his hand back slowly so that he could finish eating. He smiled at Blake and took another bite of his steak, carefully chewing. Blake still had the comfortable smile across his face, as if he knew a secret and wasn’t going to share with Mark. 

The conversation turned to the rest of the season and what plans they had for the offseason. Mark offered to train together, figuring that Blake would turn it down. 

“Let’s see where things stand at the end of the season?” Blake offered up as a response. 

Mark figured that was the most mature way to approach the situation. This was only a first date for the two of them, even though they have been bonded for almost three years at this point. 

The server came back around, refilling their drinks and asking about dessert. Blake politely declined and Mark looked forlorn. 

“We’ll grab ice cream on the way back.” Blake winked as he scooped up the check and laid some cash on the table. 

They left together, bumping shoulders comfortably. When they got in the car, Mark laughed.

“You don’t have to get me ice cream.” 

Blake put the car into drive and pulled out of the parking spot, pulling onto the street and into traffic. He handed his phone to Mark. 

“Find the nearest Dairy Queen that’s actually open this time of year.” 

Mark searched for one and then started up Maps with the address. The one right near his apartment was the closest option and Mark was grateful. 

Not that the date was going terribly, it’s just that Mark wasn’t expecting to actually have so much in common with Blake. He could see why the universe put them together. They were comfortable with each other in a way that was almost domestic and Mark didn’t know what to think. 

Blake pulled the car into the parking lot of the Dairy Queen, slapping Mark on the knee. 

  
“Dessert?” Blake winked and Mark was convinced that when he was 50 years old, he’d retell this story to his kids as an example of how he fell in love with a giant softie, who just happened to be his soulmate. 

Mark climbed out of the car and walked around the front of it, watching Blake unfold his long legs out of the tiny car. They walked in together and Mark ordered a banana split, while Blake ordered a small dipped cone. 

They went back out to the car once the poor high schooler working gave them their treats. If she recognized them, she didn’t say anything. While Mark was finagling his spoon, he saw a large hand reaching into his periphery. Before he could protest, Blake stole the cherry off the top of his ice cream, popping it into his mouth. Blake winked again and Mark could see him doing something with his tongue in his mouth. Next thing he knew, Blake stuck out his tongue with the cherry stem tied on it. 

Mark felt himself flush at the idea of what just happened. Before he knew it, Blake leaned over and kissed him. 

It was a soft kiss and Mark leaned into it, only pulling back when he realized they were still in a public space, albeit dark. When he licked his lips, he could feel them tingle a bit after the kiss. His lips tasted like chocolate and ice cream and his head was a feedback loop of happiness between the bond and how he was actually feeling. 

Blake tilted his head, looking confused at why Mark pulled back. 

“We’re in public.” Mark whispered. 

Blake’s eyes crinkled with the smile. 

“Then let’s get you home.” 

They finished their ice cream, listening to some soft music in the background. When they were finished, Blake pulled up to the trashcan and tossed Mark’s bowl away and pulled back onto the street, heading towards Mark’s apartment building. 

Blake found a parking spot in the parking ramp and put the car in park, turning it off with a sigh. 

Mark looked over and closed his eyes for a second. Blake took the chance and kissed him again. Mark surged into the kiss, leaning over the center console of the car. Blake threaded his hand in Mark’s long hair, pulling him closer. They broke apart when they heard someone pinging their car alarm. Mark looked flushed under the terrible artificial lighting in the ramp, and Blake wanted to jump him. 

“Let’s go inside?” Mark offered up the solution to the possible car make out problem. 

Blake nodded, turning the car off. They climbed out and Blake gestured for Mark to lead the way. 

When they finally made it inside, they nodded to the elderly lady in the hallway. 

“Have a nice night boys!” She waved as they went by and they waved back, wanting to speed up the process of getting up the elevator. 

Once they were inside, they were alone and Blake pulled Mark in for another kiss. All Mark could feel through the bond was a feeling of possessiveness. For Mark, it was a turn on to be wanted so much after the past couple of years of feeling discarded. He leaned up into the kiss, deepening it as he did so. They heard the ding of the elevator as they finally got to Mark’s floor, separating as quick as they came together. 

Blake led Mark to his door with his hand splayed along Mark’s lower back. Mark felt like he was on fire wherever Blake touched him and this was no different. The warmth spread up his back, towards his soulmark, sending sparks along the way. When they finally made it down the long hallway to his door, Blake withdrew his hand and Mark felt himself missing the touch immediately.    
  


Mark fiddled with his keys, unlocking the door quickly and stepping inside, reaching out and pulling Blake inside by grabbing his hand and tugging. Blake kicked the door shut behind him and pulled his arm, bringing Mark in close to him. He leaned down and kissed Mark softly, sucking and biting on his lower lip as his hands explored the expanse of Mark’s back. Mark threaded his fingers in Blake’s hair, pulling slightly as he did so, eliciting a moan from Blake. Blake rucked up Mark’s shirt, fingers digging down Mark’s back. Mark started to grind against Blake’s leg as they made out in his entryway. Blake slowed down, pulling back. 

“I don’t want to do that just yet. Don’t get me wrong, I do want to, just not tonight.”

Blake leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on Mark’s lips. Mark nodded at Blake once the kiss broke. 

“That’s ok.” Mark looked a little forlorn at the thought of waiting. Deep down, he knew it was for the best though. 

Mark tugged on Blake to pull him close and reached his arms around Blake’s neck, pulling him down for another kiss. They pulled apart and Blake was breathing heavily. 

“You take my breath away.” Blake joked, kissing Mark on the forehead. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow at morning skate?”

Blake nodded and pulled out of the hug Mark had him wrapped up in. 

“We should do this again soon.”

Blake moved to leave the apartment and Mark grabbed him one last time for a quick kiss. 


	10. Chapter 10

Blake leaned against the wall next to Mark’s closed door. His heart was fluttering in his chest and all he could feel coming through the bond was happiness. Blake reciprocated the happiness, creating yet another feedback loop through the bond. 

Once he had caught his breath, Blake headed downstairs and out the door to his car. Once he was inside, he turned the music on, some sappy love song was playing on the radio and he grinned. It was as if the fates knew what mood he was in, or at least that’s what he hoped. 

Blake didn’t love Mark, not quite yet. He loved being with him and kissing him, but to give his whole heart to him? It wasn’t quite right yet. 

As desperately as Mark wanted Blake, he felt he had made the right choice in waiting. He wasn’t sure if Mark was a virgin or not and he didn’t want their first time having sex to be right after the first date. 

When Blake got home, he slowly undressed, dropping articles of clothing on the back of the couch to be dealt with later. As he got in the shower, he could only imagine Mark grinding up against his leg, desperate for release. He closed his eyes and felt himself getting hard under the hot and steamy water. He slid his hand down his body and gripped his cock tight, imagining what it would be like to have Mark on his knees in front of him. He stroked a few times, thinking of how blue his eyes would be, looking up at him with his cock in Mark’s mouth. As he continued to stroke, he felt himself send waves of desire over the bond. Before he knew it, Mark was sending those vibes back and Blake felt himself flush. He stroked a few more times and felt himself coming all over his hand. 

Blake leaned against the shower wall, letting the water wash off the mess he just made and closed his eyes again. As he did so, he felt Mark sending waves of desperation over the bond, making Blake realize what he sent to Mark. In hindsight, he realized that he probably should have put a block up before jerking off to the thought of his soulmate giving him a blowjob. 

Blake finished showering and turned off the water. He grabbed a towel and wiped himself dry, wrapping the towel around his waist once he was done. He stepped out of the tub and grabbed his phone, which was sitting on the back of the toilet. He saw that he had missed a text from Mark. 

_ >Did you just...jerk off? _

Blake blushed as he read the message, unable to form the words to send back. He opted for something simple instead. 

_ Maybe?< _

Blake put his phone down and finished getting dressed, feeling wholly shameful at getting caught jerking it over the bond. He heard it buzz against the porcelain while he was brushing his teeth.

_ >You know you don’t have to hide that from me. _

_ >I kind of like it. _

Well that was something Blake didn’t expect. He grabbed his phone and padded into the bedroom, and plugged it into the charger beside his bed. He placed it on the nightstand and thought of a good response. 

_ I should have put the block up out of respect.< _

_ >Or you could have just stayed with me when you had the chance tonight? _

Blake was caught off guard at the brashness of his soulmate. He wasn’t against the idea, but he didn’t want to be the one to ruin the new relationship with sex. Here he was though, ruining the sanctity of what he was trying to build by forgetting to put a block up. 

_ I’ll play your game. What did you have in mind for tonight anyway?< _

Blake rolled over to his back, propped up by some pillows. He focused on his phone intently, not wanting to miss what would come next. 

_ >I wanted to blow you right in the entryway. I would have dropped to my knees if you’d asked. _

_ >Hell, you didn’t have to ask. You could have just pushed me and I would have gone down. _

Blake could imagine it again, as if he was flashed back to his shower scene. His phone buzzed again, making a muffled sound against the pillow it was laying on. 

_ >Can I send you a picture? _

Blake wasn’t about to turn that offer down and turned the front facing camera on, taking a quick picture of him shirtless in bed, angled just enough that Mark would be able to tell that he was hard in his sweats. He sent the picture quickly and typed out a response. 

_ What do you think? Of course you can.< _

Blake saw the three dots pop up as Mark composed a reply. He closed his eyes, imagining what Mark was going to send him. Blake felt the phone in his hand vibrate and he swiped open the message.

Of all the things he was expecting, Blake didn’t expect that his soulmate, who doesn’t swear and is generally a sweet and kind person, would send him a picture of his dick leaking. He had his hand wrapped around it and it looked like Mark was mid-stroke when he took the picture. What he could see of Mark’s face was that his head was tilted back and his eyes were closed. Blake quickly saved the picture to a hidden folder on his phone. It was the most beautiful picture he had seen in years. 

_ >Like that? _

Blake sent waves of desire over the bond and stuck his hand down his pants, stroking himself a few times as he hardened. He pulled the waistband of his sweats down low and angled his phone for a quick picture, similar to what Mark sent in the first place. 

_ What do you think?< _

Blake went back to imagining himself fucking Mark’s face, stroking slowly, awaiting a response from Mark. He groaned as he twisted his hand a little, applying a bit more friction. He felt himself coming for a second time that night and covered his abs, feeling a bit disgusted after he was done. He took a quick picture that was slightly blurry and sent it to Mark. As soon as he put his phone down to go clean up he heard the familiar noise. He finished cleaning up and checked his phone. He got a similar picture back from Mark and felt waves of satisfaction flood the bond. 

_ >Would have been better with you here. _

Blake typed out his reply, tossing the wet washcloth near the dirty clothes pile. 

_ One day, just not now.< _

Blake sent Mark a good night text and rolled over, a little more aware of how big and empty his bed felt.


	11. Chapter 11

Mark woke up feeling refreshed and had a bit more pep in his step than normal. Last night had been fun, even if Blake went home and left Mark to his own devices. The texting was great and Mark was careful to delete all the pictures off his phone, lest Jake grabbed it or something. 

The room knew by now that they were bonded, but having his sex life, or lack thereof, broadcast to the rest of the team was a different story. Jake was the type to do just that and Mark had to be careful. 

Mark ate breakfast, sending Blake a quick good morning text along with a picture of his smoothie and scrambled eggs. It felt domestic and calming to do something so simple. As he was eating, he got a return text with an equally familiar picture. It appeared that Blake was having oatmeal along with his eggs. 

Mark finished his breakfast and got ready for skate, throwing on a hat instead of brushing his hair. He left for the arena, swinging by the closest Tim Hortons for some coffee, barely making it to the arena on time. He snuck in and saw Blake had raised his eyebrows at him and the coffee in his hand. He shrugged and started to change. Once he was changed and waiting for skate to start, he decided to scroll through his phone. 

Mark felt a thud as someone sat beside him. Jake threw his arm across Mark’s shoulders, pulling him in for a sideways bro hug. 

“So how was your hot date last night? Finally get some?” Mark blushed, knowing full well that Blake could hear Jake clear as day. 

Mark stammered out a response. 

“It was good and a gentleman never kisses and tells.” Mark pushed Jake off of him and went back to scrolling through twitter. 

Jake got up with a huff and was off to torture his next victim. 

Mark felt the bench next to him shift again, this time Blake sitting down next to Mark. He felt Blake put his hand on Mark’s knee, his thumb rubbing circles absentmindedly on the outside of Mark’s knee. It was soothing and Mark turned to Blake with a soft smile. 

“You ok after last night?” Blake had a concerned look on his face, as if he was second guessing everything they had done so far. 

“Yeah, just sick of Troub’s shit today.” Blake chuckled at that response and stood up. 

“Was just checking.”

Coach walked in, cutting the conversations around the room short. He ordered them out on the ice so that they could practice and maybe have some hope in getting a couple of wins before the Olympic break. 

Practice went as normally as possible, being that it was a game day they just ran through a few plays and then watched some tape afterwards. They were focused on taking on Nashville and dealing with their defense. 

After they finished watching tape and were all headed to the locker room, Blake grabbed Mark by the elbow and pulled him into a utility closet. He cupped Mark’s face and kissed him softly. Mark surged up into it, turning it into them making out for a few minutes. When they broke apart, Mark grinned. 

“I’ve been wanting to do that all morning. You have no idea.” Blake stammered out. 

“We’ll have plenty of time soon enough.” Mark’s brain conveniently forgetting that Blake was going to be over in Sochi for the Olympics. 

In Mark’s defense, after the rosters came out and he wasn’t invited he just started planning a vacation for the long break. 

“We do?” Blake questioned, a little confused by the statement. 

“Aw jeez. I forgot that you’re going, didn’t I?” Mark’s grin was wiped from his face and was replaced with a sad look. 

“And I don’t think you should come. You know how Russia is.” Blake supplied, making far too much sense for Mark’s sadness. 

“We better get back before we get fined.” Blake continued on. Mark pulled Blake in for a quick kiss and then turned to leave the closet. 

When they got into the locker room, there was a lot of ribbing about how they were late and where they could have gone. Ladd hollered across the room about how Blake should know better and next time they would be fined. 

Blake grinned, a little lopsided and the corners of his eyes crinkling. 

“You’re just jealous!” He hollered back at the captain. 

The team finished changing and took off in pairs, likely heading home to rest up for the game that night. Blake finished pulling his shirt over his head and he heard Mark step up behind him. 

“Want to come over to my room before the game?”

As much as Blake wanted to oblige, he had his game day routine that he wasn’t ready to change up quite yet. 

“Maybe another day? I just want to get in a nap and dinner. Nothing against you though. I do want to spend time with you.” Blake finished with a smile. 

Mark kissed Blake on the cheek quickly while they were alone in the room. 

“I get it.” 

Mark grabbed his things and headed to his car. On the drive home he recounted the messages from the night before and could feel himself getting turned on in the car. He quickly started to think of other things, like the failing powerplay, and felt a bit more calmed down. 

When Mark got home, he waved to the elderly lady in the elevator and rushed inside his apartment, shutting and locking the door behind him. His phone went off and he saw it was a message from Blake. 

_ >We should get lunch tomorrow after practice. _

Mark smiled, excited for the prospect of spending more time with his soulmate. 

_ Of course. My choice this time?< _

Mark put his phone on the counter, plugged it into the charger. He slipped out of his jeans, leaving them draped over the back of the couch as he went to the bedroom for his afternoon nap. He climbed into bed with memories of the night before dancing through his mind again. He felt himself getting hard and imagined what it would be like to get fucked thoroughly by Blake. He reached down, sliding his boxers down to his knees, and started to stroke himself at the thought of that. He took his other hand and rubbed a finger against his hole, imagining something much bigger being there. He figured Blake would be gentle, yet intense, the same way he had kissed Mark the night before. Mark took a second to grab the lube and lubed up a couple of fingers. He started stroking himself again, this time pressing one finger inside of his hole. He crooked his finger as he tried to find the right angle. After a second of moving in and out with his finger, he hit his prostate. He kept pressing down on it and stroking himself. He felt his balls tighten up and before he knew it, the image of Blake bracketing him combined with him hitting his prostate, had Mark coming all over his own hand. 

Mark climbed out of bed - where he was comfortable - to clean up, tripping over his boxers on the way to the bathroom. He got cleaned up,put his boxers back on properly, and climbed back into bed, drifting off faster than he had in weeks past. 

When Mark woke up, he realized he never put a block up before jerking off. He dreaded checking his phone and hoped that Blake had already been asleep before he started. He climbed out of bed and made his way to the kitchen, grabbing his phone off the counter when he got there. 

_ >Payback for last night I guess? _

Mark laughed at Blake taking it well. He placed his phone down without a response and started to get ready for the game. He heated up a plate of chicken, rice, and vegetables that he prepared earlier in the week, not really having the energy to cook something properly. After he finished eating, he went to his bedroom, trying to pick out the right suit for that night. He chose a dark navy suit with a light blue button down shirt. He paired it with a navy tie and headed out to the living room to retrieve his wallet from the pair of jeans draped over his couch. He grabbed his phone and typed out a response. 

_ If you were here you would have found out ;)< _

Mark pocketed his phone and finished turning off the lights in his apartment. He felt the phone buzz in his pocket as he headed down the elevator. He checked it quickly before getting in his car and heading to the arena. 

_ >Don’t tease. It’s not nice. _

Mark smiled and got his music set up for the drive to the arena. It was a relatively short drive, but he liked getting into the right headspace for games. 

Once he arrived, he saw that he had parked next to Blake without meaning to. It was kind of nice to do that without feeling like he was trying too hard. He went inside, heading down to the locker room, trying to forget the feeling of lust he had when he passed the utility room he’d made out with Blake in earlier that day. He felt vibes of reassurance wash over him, so he figured that he sent something back to Blake unwittingly. As he entered the locker room, he carefully walked around the logo and started to change into his gear. He felt the color rush from his face when he heard Jake yell for Blake to come chat with him. He had no idea what his best friend was up to, but it couldn’t have been good. 

Blake and Jake chatted for a few minutes, their voices low so that Mark couldn’t hear what was being said. Blake headed back to his stall to finish getting ready and Mark heard his phone buzz against the wood seats of the locker room. 

_ >Your boy just gave me a shovel talk. _

Mark was going to kill Jake, he was sure of it. He typed out a careful response. 

_ I’ll talk to him later.<  _

Mark felt the seats next to him shift as Dustin and Bryan sat down next to him. Buff threw an arm across Mark’s shoulder and pulled him in for a bro hug. 

“Don’t fucking hurt him. You hear me?” Mark’s eyes widened at the thought of the damage Buff could do. He nodded and turned to Bryan. 

“He means a lot to us Thrasher boys. Be good to him.” Bryan smiled and clapped him on the back. The two got up and left Mark to finish getting ready. Across the room Blake was shaking his head and visibly embarrassed by his friends and teammates. 

Coach walked in and read off the lines and the starting players. Mark nodded when he heard Blake’s name after his. It was nice that new coach allowed them to play together so much. 

The team left for the ice and warmups, Mark making sure that he was the last one off the ice. When he got back to the room, he started retaping his stick and heard the last minute notes from coach. Nashville was starting their backup that night so Mark made a mental note to do some digging during the first period as to the goalie’s style. 

The team headed back onto the ice and the start of the first period was eventful, with the teams trading goals back and forth. After Buff got out of the box, Mark found himself crashing the net a little too hard and found himself headed to the penalty box for his efforts. Thankfully, they were able to kill off the penalty without much struggle. 

The rest of the period passed by without much incident. When they were back in the locker room, Mark grabbed his phone and attempted to dig up some information on the goalie, but it was his first full year in the league so there wasn’t much. Mark figured that he’d wing it in the second and would drag the rest of his line along with him. 

They got back on the ice for the second period, a tied game that went downhill quickly. 42 seconds into the period Nashville breaks the tie and then held them at bay for the next 17 minutes, scoring again to double up on Winnipeg. Mark groaned to himself and on his next shift he jumped over the board determined to make some noise. Less than a minute into his shift he did some work on his own and put away a goal, bringing them within one. He felt Blake slam into him and they smiled at each other as the team swarmed him. Coach opted to keep their line on the ice after the goal and it was worth it. 27 seconds later Jake sent a pass flying to Mark and he just dished it over to Blake, who tied it up. They came together again, screaming at each other while grinning. They were back in it! The bond came alive with a loop of excitement and happiness.

The remainder of the period passed with a failed powerplay attempt and the team filed off the ice and headed back to the locker room. There was a rally speech by coach about the importance of coming back and having tenacity. Mark eyed Blake across the room and smiled. They were going to do it, together. 

The third period started similar to the second period, with Nashville breaking the tie once again. This time though, there were no heroics and the Jets lost 4-3 in their own building. It was a good thing that they had two days off before the next game, because they needed it. 

After the game, Mark walked into the showers, feeling dejected and upset. He knew that it was just one game, but he felt like he could have done more. At least he wasn’t on the ice when they gave up a goal, but he felt bad that there wasn’t more he could have done. As he was showering he felt vibes of reassurance come through the bond. Blake must have felt his dejection loud and clear. When he finished toweling off after the shower, he headed back into the room to do press. Since he scored a goal, they had him and Blake doing post-game comments. He gave some canned media responses about how they couldn’t get it done and would have to try harder next time. Once the media left, he finished changing back into his suit. He left the room without saying anything to anyone. He was glad that they had a couple of days off, including a mandatory day off away from the rink.

On Mark’s way out of the arena, he heard Blake call his name. He turned around and saw Blake walking towards him. Mark turned around, and gave a weak smile. 

“Want to come over to my place?” Blake offered up to Mark. Mark thought it over for a second and realized that Blake probably felt as bad as he did. 

“Sure. I’ll meet you there.”

“Nah, just jump in. I’ll bring you back to your car later.”

Mark didn’t want to argue with him, so he climbed into Blake’s car, throwing his bag in the backseat. Blake reached over and grabbed Mark’s hand, rubbing his knuckles absentmindedly. Mark started to relax against the seat as they drove out of the parking lot and headed to Blake’s house in the suburbs. Mark closed his eyes and Blake continued to hold his hand as the snow covered houses passed him by. The whole thing felt domestic in a way that Mark didn’t mind. He figured that if he was a regular 20 year old, this would scare him. In a way, it comforted him to the core. 

Blake pulled into the driveway of a nice large home. He hit the button for the garage door to open and pulled into the garage. He threw the car into park and let go of Mark’s hand. Mark felt sad at the loss of the warmth of Blake’s hand. He frowned as Blake opened the back door and grabbed both bags from the backseat. Mark climbed out of the car and stretched. 

“I could have gotten that you know.” Mark wasn’t some weak kid, he could have carried his own bag into the house. 

“Yeah, but I was there first, so I grabbed them.” Blake smiled softly as he hefted the two bags over his shoulder. 

Mark followed Blake inside the house. It wasn’t his first time being there, as the team had held parties at Blake’s before, but this time it felt different. Blake deposited the bags on the bench by the door and motioned for Mark to step ahead of him. Mark took a second to kick his shoes off by the door and walked into the kitchen. He turned around to see where Blake was and was immediately cornered by him. Blake cupped his face, something Mark was sure he wouldn’t tire of, and kissed him softly and sweetly. Mark melted into it, feeling himself wrapping his arms around Blake’s neck. He deepened the kiss, making it more urgent than sweet. Blake hoisted Mark up onto the counter, showcasing his strength and size in a way that had Mark getting hard in his pants. Mark nipped at Blake’s bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth. Blake broke the kiss and started to kiss down Mark’s neck, pulling the tie loose and dropping it to the ground. Mark arched his neck back, letting Blake have full reign over the area. 

Blake unbuttoned Mark’s shirt carefully, kissing down Mark’s chest as he did so. Mark undid Blake’s tie, dropping it on the ground next to his own tie, opting to go back to carding his fingers through Blake’s hair as he was being undressed and kissed. Mark slid his hand along Blake’s jawline, pulling him back up for a proper kiss. He broke the kiss after a minute of making out. 

“I’m not letting you fuck me in your kitchen.” Mark panted out. That elicited a chuckle from Blake, who stepped back, holding a hand out for Mark to hold on to while he hopped off the counter. Mark obliged and hopped down, grabbing onto Blake’s hand as he did so. Blake pulled him in, pressing against his body, Mark’s shirt unbuttoned and Blake’s half undone as well. There was a bit of skin to skin contact and Mark felt sparks burst down his body. 

Blake led Mark through the house to the master bedroom suite, where he quickly finished undoing his shirt, dropping it on the floor and kicking it towards a laundry pile. Mark surged forward, catching Blake off guard with another kiss. Blake’s large hands cupped Mark’s face as they made out, Mark undoing Blake’s belt as they kissed. Blake was hard in his pants and Mark groaned into the kiss as he realized the task he was about to take on. He was grateful that there was no skate the next day. 

Blake reached between them to undo Mark’s belt and pulls Mark closer using it. As they continued to make out, Mark felt himself grinding against Blake, desperate for more contact. Blake took the hint and undid Mark’s pants, letting them drop to the ground. He reached down and undid his own pants, letting them fall next to Mark’s. He grabbed Mark’s ass and hoisted him up, carrying him over to the bed. He placed Mark down, kissing him the whole time. Mark scooted back on the bed, pulling Blake down on top of him. Blake propped himself up with his elbows on either side of Mark, bracketing his body just how Mark imagined it earlier. Mark lifted his hips up, looking for friction as the two men made out on the bed. Blake ground down on Mark, giving him the pressure that he needed. 

Blake slid his fingers under the waistband of Mark’s boxer briefs, sliding them down and off. He quickly removed his own briefs and got a hand around Mark’s cock, stroking slowly. 

“I want you to fuck me.” Mark moaned out as Blake continued to stroke him. Blake broke the contact and shifted off the bed. He grabbed a bottle of lube and a condom from the bottom drawer of his dresser. He climbed back on the bed, and stroked the inside of Mark’s thigh. 

“You sure?” Blake wanted to make sure that Mark was on board with everything. Mark nodded and shifted his hips up so that Blake would have a better angle at opening him up. Blake closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. He lubed up a finger and started to circle Mark’s hole. Blake pressed in and elicited a moan from above him. He worked the finger in and out, taking his time. After about a minute, he added more lube to his fingers and inserted a second finger, slowly working in and out, angling just right to hit Mark’s prostate. When he did that, he heard Mark cry out above him, which made Blake grin. He withdrew his fingers and shifted upwards to give Mark a kiss. Mark kissed him back eagerly and Blake took a few minutes to make out with him. He broke the kiss and slid down, re-inserting the two fingers, this time moving them faster and scissoring them to open Mark up. He added a third lubed up finger and worked them in and out until he heard Mark begging above him. 

“I’m good, I promise,” Mark begged, pushing back against Blake’s fingers. 

Blake withdrew his fingers and grabbed the lube and condom. He slid the condom down on his hard cock and then drizzled himself with more lube. He lined himself up against Mark’s hole, pressing in slowly. Once he was fully inside, he waited a few seconds so that Mark could adjust. Mark started to move his hips, signalling that he was ready and Blake started to press in and out of him. Mark moaned as Blake worked in and out, sending feelings of desire through the soulbond. Blake couldn’t help but send those feelings back, creating a loop of desire and want. Mark reached down to stroke himself and Blake cupped his hand around Mark’s, tightening the grip and stroking Mark quickly. A few strokes and Mark was coming all over his stomach. Blake pumped a few more times into Mark, feeling his balls tighten up and then he was coming with a shout. 

Blake pulled out slowly and climbed off the bed to dispose of the condom. He stepped into the en suite bathroom and threw it in the trash. He grabbed a clean washcloth and ran it under some warm water before stepping back into the bedroom. He wiped Mark off and peppered his chest with kisses as he did so. He gave Mark a pair of shorts to sleep in and Mark climbed into them sleepily. Mark was started to drift off to sleep and Blake was content to let him. Blake threw on a pair of ratty basketball shorts, dropped the washcloth in the laundry pile, and climbed into bed next to Mark, spooning up against him. He pulled the covers up over both of them and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

When Blake woke up the next morning, he was still wrapped around Mark. Mark had a soft smile on his face as he snored lightly. Blake couldn’t bring himself to mind the snoring much, finding it quite endearing. He pulled Mark closer, leaving kisses on his soulmark, finally getting a proper look at it. He recognized the loon right away and thought it was special that something from home would find its way on the skin of someone he cared about. He pressed one more kiss to the mark and felt Mark stirring. 

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake ya.” Blake slurred out, still half asleep himself. Mark rolled over and looked at him smiling. Blake leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Mark’s forehead. Mark closed his eyes briefly, debating on going back to sleep. 

“Good thing we have an off day today.” Mark mumbled out, his eyes blinking slowly as he tried to wake up properly. Mark was still shirtless and Blake couldn’t help but run his fingers up and down Mark’s arms as they laid there staring and smiling at each other. 

Blake pressed a kiss to Mark’s lips, chaste, but still sweet nonetheless. He climbed out of bed and Mark’s hand trailed after him. He took a look around the room, seeing the mess they left the night before, and chuckled. 

“Our clothes are going to be wrinkled.” Blake commented as he picked clothes up and draped them over the back of the chair in the room. He grabbed an old Thrashers team sweatshirt and tossed it on the bed for Mark to wear, as he pulled on a ratty Gophers sweatshirt himself. Mark, who was finally sitting upright properly, grabbed it and pulled it over his head. It hung loosely on him, being that it was a size too large for him. Blake grinned at the sight of his clothes on Mark, noticing the baby blue from the sweatshirt was bringing out Mark’s eyes. He made his way over to the bed and leaned over to kiss Mark. 

“I’m never going to get used to that.” Blake said when they broke the kiss. 

“What?” Mark inquired, confused. 

“You taking my breath away.”

Mark rolled his eyes and climbed out of the bed. He lightly punched Blake in the arm as he walked past him to use the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and Blake went back to tidying up the room. He looked down the hall, seeing the rest of the clothes just discarded. He groaned, making a mental note to take the clothes to the dry cleaner later. Blake heard the water running in the bathroom as he was finishing up. When Mark stepped out of the bathroom, Blake noticed that his hair was slightly damp and a weak attempt at combing it had happened. 

“I used some of your mouthwash by the way.” Mark commented as he walked out of the bedroom. He headed to the kitchen, smirking at the clothes that Blake had yet to collect. It was a good reminder of the night before, as if the soreness wasn’t already reminding him. Blake followed Mark down towards the kitchen and watched as Mark sat on one of the barstools at the kitchen island. Blake couldn’t stop smiling as he reached in the refrigerator to grab the carton of eggs and package of turkey bacon. He moved around the kitchen with ease, grabbing bowls and a frying pan. 

“How do you like your eggs?” Blake asked as he started cracking eggs into a bowl. He grabbed a fork and started to beat them. 

“Scrambled is fine.” Mark replied. Blake grabbed a couple more eggs, cracking them into the bowl and mixing them up with the others. He poured a splash of milk into the bowl, mixing the two ingredients up quickly. He grabbed a pat of butter and threw it in the frying pan he had heating up. He poured the eggs into the hot frying pan, letting them sizzle in the butter for a second before prodding at them with a rubber spatula. Mark couldn’t help but admire the muscles that were flexing under the sweatshirt as Blake cooked them breakfast. It was domestic and yet it was starting to turn Mark on. He shook his head and focused on doing something else. 

“Need help with anything?” Mark inquired as Blake threw the turkey bacon in a different frying pan. 

“You can make us some smoothies? The fruit is over there.” Blake gestured with the spatula to the counter on his right. Mark took the direction and started throwing fruit and yogurt in the blender. He hit the pulse button a few times until everything was blended. 

“Glasses are in the cupboard above you.” Blake instructed without looking up from the eggs and bacon cooking. Mark reached up and grabbed two glasses, setting them on the counter. He poured the smoothies into the glasses and took them over to the island that he was sitting at. After he put them down, he put the blender jug in the sink and rinsed it out. As he was finishing up, Blake was plating up breakfast. 

They ate in companionable silence, sipping the smoothies. The eggs were fluffy and the bacon was the right level of crispy. Blake felt that he knew what kind of breakfast Mark enjoyed based on his pictures over the last year. He only hoped that it hit the spot. 

“That was amazing.” Mark said, rubbing his stomach in pride. Blake beamed at him from across the counter. He was leaning over his plate, not quite squatting, but still standing. Mark slid off the barstool, grabbing both of the empty plates and taking them to the sink to be rinsed off. Blake secretly loved how Mark had made himself comfortable in his home. It was domestic and perfection. 

Blake slid behind Mark and put his arms around his waist, pulling Mark backwards into him. He kissed the spot where the soulmark was on his shoulder and heard Mark sigh against him. Mark turned his head and stretched up for a kiss. Blake obliged and kissed Mark softly. Mark had his eyes closed as he turned around to face Blake. 

“That was sweet.” Mark commented, pulling Blake in for another kiss. The kiss started soft and then turned to them making out in the kitchen, similar to how things had gone the night before. Blake pulled Mark close and stepped backwards, backing into the kitchen island as they continued to nip at each other’s lips. Mark’s hands were feeling the expanse of Blake’s back under the sweatshirt. He moaned into the kiss as Blake gently pulled on his hair. Blake grinned into the kiss, pulling a little harder, which had Mark pushing up against Blake’s leg. 

“So I changed my mind about lunch today.” Blake murmured against Mark’s lips. Mark pulled back and grinned. 

“Oh?” 

“Yeah, I want to explore this a bit more.” Blake said as he pulled on Mark’s hair lightly, making Mark arch his neck. Blake took the opportunity he was faced with and started to kiss Mark’s neck. He found a spot along the collarbone and started sucking a mark into it. Mark started to dig his fingernails into the expanse of Blake’s back and Blake could feel Mark writhing beneath him. Blake smiled and pulled away to admire his handiwork. 

“Bedroom?” Blake suggested, attempting to pull Mark down the hall. 

“I have a better idea.” Mark said as he started to kneel in front of Blake. He started to fiddle with the waistband of Blake’s shorts, feeling how hard Blake was through them. He mouthed at the front of the shorts, teasing Blake. Blake could feel Mark’s hot breath through the fabric. Blake leaned back against the wall to brace himself. Mark pulled the shorts down and started to lick up and down Blake’s cock, teasing more at the tip. Blake moaned and restrained himself from thrusting forward. Mark got a hand around him and started stroking as he tongued the underside, pulling Blake further and further into his mouth as he did so. Mark took a breath in and swallowed Blake to the hilt, his hands moving out of the way. He started to massage Blake’s balls with his hand as he bobbed up and down on Blake’s cock. 

Blake reached down and threaded his fingers through Mark’s hair. He pulled slightly as Mark moved up and down, hearing Mark moan at the sensation. The vibrations sent shockwaves through Blake and he found himself pulling on Mark’s hair a little harder. Mark started to move a hand down his own shorts as he kept working Blake. Blake felt himself tighten up and tapped Mark’s cheek. Mark pulled off and stroked Blake with his free hand. Three strokes later, Blake was coming all over Mark’s face. Some landed in his eyelashes and the rest was across his cheekbone. Blake pulled Mark up and handed him a paper towel. He then yanked down Mark’s shorts and stroked him a few times. Within a few seconds Mark was coming all over Blake’s hand. He pulled Mark in with his free hand and kissed him softly. 

“That was hot.” Mark moaned into the kiss. 

“Ok, let’s get cleaned up.” Blake said as they broke apart. Blake pulled his shorts up as Mark did likewise. Blake led Mark to the bathroom down the hall and they took turns cleaning themselves up in the sink, Blake washing his hands and Mark taking the washcloth to his face. Once they were cleaned up, they headed to the living room and sat down on the couch. Blake threw his arm around Mark’s shoulders and Mark sunk into him. Blake found himself playing with Mark’s hair, enjoying how soft it was under his fingers. It had started to curl a little around his ears and at the nape of his neck. Blake let out a sigh and sent feelings of content through the bond, getting back something similar from Mark. 

Blake reached for the television remote and flipped to the guide channel. As they were watching the guide scroll by, something caught Mark’s eye. 

“We should watch that!” Mark pointed at the screen as he sat up, pawing at Blake for the remote. 

That, turned out to be High School Musical. 

Blake let out another sigh and handed the remote over. Mark changed the channel and settled back in Blake’s arms. 

A hazard of their jobs was that they were prone to naps and a good orgasm didn’t help the case. They drifted off to sleep on the couch with the tv playing in the background. 

Blake woke up first, his arm around Mark, cradling him. He absentmindedly carded his fingers through Mark’s hair, debating on how he was going to get off the couch and prepare some dinner. He sighed, feeling Mark shifting on top of him. He decided that waking Mark up gently was his best bet. Plus, they had to eat at some point. 

Blake gently nudged Mark, getting a groan from Mark as he shifted off Blake. 

“Sleep well?” Blake asked of Mark, who was rubbing his eyes as he stretched, attempting to shake the sleep off. 

“Yeah, you make a good pillow.” Blake smiled fondly at that comment, reaching out for Mark’s hand. He grasped it softly, rubbing small circles on the knuckle of his thumb. He was falling for Mark, and he was falling hard. He pulled Mark in close and kissed him softly. 

“What was that about?” Mark questioned when they pulled apart. 

“Because I realized I love you.”

Mark’s jaw dropped and then turned into a wicked smile. 

“You love me?” Mark questioned, grinning. 

“Yes?” Blake was confused with what Mark was getting at. 

“Well, it’s a good thing I love you too.” 

Blake groaned as he grinned. He cupped his hands around Mark’s face and kissed him again. This time it had meaning behind it. 


	13. Chapter 13

“Yes, thank you for the opportunity.” Mark said into the phone as he paced around the living room. He hung up and placed his phone on the counter. 

Blake looked up from the paper he was reading, a sly grin on his face. 

“Soooo, what was that about?” 

“I was invited to the all-star game!” Mark grinned, climbing into Blake’s lap to cuddle. Blake put the paper down on the coffee table and snaked his arms around Mark. 

“We’re going to have so much fun.” Blake whispered in Mark’s ear. He pressed a kiss to Mark’s shoulder and sent waves of content through the familiar bond. 

Mark turned to face Blake and scrunched up his face at him. 

“You plan on us coming out at the all star game?” Mark was confused as to why Blake would mention them having fun. Initially they planned that they’d go to Florida together and then if either got into the game they’d cheer the other on from a distance. 

“Nah, I thought I’d come with you.” Blake grinned and ruffled Mark’s hair. Mark groaned and picked up his phone to scroll through Twitter. He came across a listing of everyone that made it and his eyes widened. 

“You brat!” Mark said as he playfully smacked Blake’s arm. 

“What? I told you I thought I’d come with you. The league thought so too.”

Mark surged up to kiss Blake and he obliged, returning the kiss as he ran his fingers through Mark’s hair. 

As they broke apart, Mark was giggling. Their phones were both vibrating incessantly, and Mark grabbed his, swiping up to see what the fuss was all about.

“The guys found out?” Blake guessed without bothering to look at his phone. 

“Yep.” 

Blake checked his phone and saw the flood of teammates congratulating them. Someone suggested that they go out that night to celebrate. Blake typed out a quick response with one hand, as the other was still threaded in Mark’s hair. 

“Guess we’re going out tonight.”

Mark climbed off Blake and dropped another kiss on Blake’s cheek. 

“I’m going to hop in the shower.” Mark said, as he headed to the bedroom. Once Blake heard the water turn on in the master bathroom, he slipped into the closet in the bedroom, pulling out the small velvet box from one of his shoeboxes. He slipped the box in his pocket, realizing that it was the perfect time. 

Blake set to work, making a quick dinner of chicken and quinoa. Mark came out of the bedroom, still toweling his hair. He saw Blake plating up dinner and let him know that he’d be right back. 

Blake set the table, placing the small box in front of Mark’s plate. He sat in his spot, across the table and started to eat his dinner. As Mark sat down at the table, he noticed the small box in front of his plate. He carefully picked it up and opened it. Inside the box was a silver band that had a small blue ridge around it. Mark gulped, smiling as he looked the ring over. 

Blake had gotten up and was next to Mark, one knee on the ground. 

“Will you marry me?” Blake asked, looking up at Mark as he sent love through the bond. Mark turned to him and nodded wordlessly. 

Blake stood up and pulled Mark into a hug. 

“That wasn’t an answer.”

Mark pulled back slightly, his arms still around Blake. He looked up into Blake’s green eyes, his own blue eyes sparkling as he slowly answered.

“Yes. My answer is always yes.”

Blake leaned down to kiss him, thanking the universe for the perfect soulmate. 

**Author's Note:**

> As always, feedback/comments/questions are always welcomed!  
Title comes from "The Humbling River" by Puscifer.  
Come join me on my [ tumblr!](https://jakemccabe.tumblr.com/)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] a whole lot more than riches and muscle](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21088922) by [somehowunbroken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somehowunbroken/pseuds/somehowunbroken)


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